From São Paulo to the world: Neuroscience, robotics and virtual reality revolutionizing treatment for paraplegia patients

For the newest edition of our series talks@swissnex, we are extremely happy to announce the participation of the neuro-engineer Solaiman Shokur, senior scientist at the Walk Again Project, an international research project that aims to show the potential of brain-machine interfaces for clinical use in motor rehabilitation for paraplegics.

The project received international attention in 2014, when one of its patients gave the kick-off in the opening game of the FIFA World Cup, walking with an exoskeleton developed by the researchers of the project. It is coordinated from its laboratory in São Paulo, where the therapy sessions with the patients take place and where Solaiman Shokur works since 2013.

Shokur, Afghan-born, grew up in Switzerland, where he obtained his Masters and PhD degree from the École Polytechnique de Lausanne (EFPL). During his PhD, he developed a brain-machine interface based on virtual reality for the use with macaques. His research with the Walk Again Project figured in the world’s top 1% most cited scientific work in 2016.